Birmingham Southern College Reviews

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Jackie

07/23/2011

Reviewer is A current student here.

4 out of 5 people found this review useful.
1 of 13

Categories

Comments

Great for these types of students

It's perfect for students who value a liberal arts education. It's also a great choice for students who want to interact with professors and be challenged in their education. The theatre department is excellent and provides hands on experience in all aspects of theatre productions.

Tips for prospective students

Visit the campus and talk to the professors and students. It's a friendly and beautiful campus.

Bang for the buck

Tuition and housing is pricey, but it's worth it. There are also several scholarships available to most students.

A

Those who want a balance of school and fun. The students work hard and play hard.

Bang for the buck

The meal plan is expensive but you won't go hungry. The dorms are nice. The feeling of community and meeting so many new people is worth it!

Am enjoying being here

I instantly connected with so many people, and the school is small enough that I feel like it truly is home.

Am learning a lot

I love the teachers at BSC. They all have a genuine interest in what they teach, and are available for students for any additional help they may need outside of class. The Interim term is a fun way to take a class outside of your major.

Carson from Franklin, TN

03/15/2012

Reviewer is Researching this school.
Reviewer has been to campus.

2 out of 3 people found this review useful.
3 of 13

Categories

Comments

Campus Safety

The campus itself was very safe. It is gated. There is an excellent campus police. However, the area around campus isn't that safe. If you want to leave campus there is a ten minute drive before you can do anything.

Greek Life

There is Greek life, but it is not overly dominate.

Great for these types of students

Students who really want college to be a home away from home. Students who want teachers who really care about you and want to give you a world of opportunities.

What to do for fun

They have a cool lake, sports, and clubs.

Food and Dining

There weren't that many options.

Dorm Life

The Freshman dorms were, well about what you expect Freshman dorms to be like. However, the upperclassmen dorms were really nice.

Academic Rigor

Small classes, devoted professors who care about what they are learning. Intership, research, and study abroad opportunities.

In three sentences

BSC is a small liberal arts college. There is a great community where you know the professors and the professors really know you. Explore term is super cool.

Stephen from Birmingham, AL

Campus is very safe. Campus is closed of by a giant metal fence all the way around campus. You can only get in through the guard shack.

Greek Life

Greek life is awesome. Everyone is greek. Our greek system go the best greek system in the country this year.

Clubs and Activities

Their are a lot of opportunities to get involved. The outdoor clubs like the southern bouldering club is an awesome club to get involved with. They travel all around the state to check out awesome sights.

Great for these types of students

the best thing about this campus is the academics and the small classes

Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

there is nothing too unusual.

Bang for the buck

Id give it a 4 star because the academics are awesome. the social life is ok only because of the small campus.

What to do for fun

Go to the fraternity houses on weekends, get involved in the outdoor clubs. The outdoor clubs are huge on campus.

Food and Dining

The food dinning is not so bad. Pretty good food but doesnt have as many options as big schools

Dorm Life

Very nice place to live, dorms are great. Campus is small so its not the best dorm life.

Academic Rigor

Its a very tough school. But its worth it. And get help from the professors.

Tips for prospective students

Get involved in as much as you can handle. Grades are super important, especially since you are paying a lot of money to go here.

In three sentences

The best academic school in the state. Not the best social scene school. Great Greek System, we won the best greek system in the country this past year

Ramon from Birmingham, AL

greek life is a HUGE part of this campus, they're a part of just about anything and usually are huge sources of entertainment but they also do a lot of socially relevant things as well

Clubs and Activities

There's essentially a club for everything and for everything there's a club, and if there isnt you can just start it

Great for these types of students

great for students who enjoy working hard and playing hard. If you're a fan of seriously diverse settings this is a great place for you

Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

one of the best and unusual locations on campus would have to be the ecoscape environmental area

What to do for fun

If you want on campus fun then your best bets are one of the many sporting events or plays or inter-mural sports. Off campus you also have quite a few options since you're within 15mins of downtown and within 20-30 mins of anywhere else fun

Food and Dining

Not necessarily anything spectacular but they are usually good a bout having a diverse amount of options that suits just about anyone and the staff are great

Dorm Life

Some of the dorms are better than others,specifically the upperclass dorms and apartments as opposed to the freshman dorms. If you happen to know a few people in one of the upper level dorms then you could possibly upgrade if they're willing to vouch for you

Academic Rigor

You HAVE to stay on top of your game, in some cases even be ahead of the game. If you can manage your time wisely and take good notes you should be fine

Amanda from Orlando, FL

Campus police is very friendly and are there for you whenever you need them. They are always patrolling campus and there is only one way in and one way out of campus that is always monitored.

Greek Life

Greek life is big on campus however you do not need to be involved in a Greek organization to make friends or have fun.

Clubs and Activities

There is an infinite number of clubs for all and they are easy to get involved in!

Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

There's a beautiful lake with a fountain and waterfall that is a great place to go and relax at.

Bang for the buck

BSC has also been featured as a top school that changes lives!

What to do for fun

There is always something going on or something to do. The sports teams here are great and students are always out there cheering them on. The intramural sports here are also a blast.

Food and Dining

The Caf here is good. There is also a Subway and two food marts on campus.

Dorm Life

Dorms are nice and a great way to meet new friends.

Academic Rigor

It is not easy. You must do your work and manage your time well. However, as long as you don't procrastinate you should do just fine. Class sizes are small and there is a lot of ways to get the help you need.

In three sentences

This school is a great fit for anyone looking for a close community not only with friends but your teachers as well. Students here are very nice and welcoming. Everyone is very active with activities on campus and they are a lot of fun!

Octavia from Brandon, MS

10/05/2011

Reviewer is Researching this school.
Reviewer has been to campus.

1 out of 2 people found this review useful.
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Comments

Great for these types of students

This is great for students who want to learn and have their lives changed forever. Great for students who want to achieve and get an education. Great for students who want to connect with their professors and like a close-knit family.

Bang for the buck

BSC is not that expensive but you still have to try to get scholarships.

Will learn a lot

Just by visting this college, you can tell that you will learn alot. Also, even if you're not sure about what you really want to major in, you can do exploration(which 2 is required if you attend) to explore something outside of your major or within your major.

Kylie from Bay Minette, AL

06/05/2013

Reviewer is A current student here.

10 of 13

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Comments

Campus Safety

The campus is completely gated and there is only one way on and off campus. At the entrance, there is a guard shack, where every person who does not own a parking decal is stopped and questioned. Their tag number and reason for visiting the campus is then recorded. Campus police are always driving around campus and watching out for us students. We call them Campus Daddies because they change our oil, fill our tires with air, check our cars' fluids, and are just super friendly!

Greek Life

About 48% of BSC's students are active in greek life.

Clubs and Activities

BSC has hundreds of clubs and with enough supporters, any student can start a new one. From Love Asia to the Bass Fishing Club, there are possibilities for everyone. The Student Government Association also throws a lot of activities on campus such as the square dancing night for freshmen and Soco, the music festival.

Great for these types of students

Students who are not afraid to work hard and know how to manage stress are perfect for this school.

Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

The EcoScape is a very unusual location on campus. It's a garden that is littered with student sculptures, massive wind chimes, and a three-tier tree house. BSC also has a lake, which students love to jog around, and an intramural field, which is always open for play.

Bang for the buck

BSC is an expensive school, but it's also a great school. The professors will go very far out of their way to help students and they honestly care.

What to do for fun

On campus: Striplin Fitness Center, intramural field, tennis courts, EcoScape (gardens with tree house), tracks, and plenty of clubs and on-campus events. Off campus: The city of Birmingham, the Vulcan, Botanical Gardens, the zoo, tons of parks, concerts, the theatre, the malls/outlets, etc.

Food and Dining

The caf is awesome. Unlike most large schools, fast food is not an option here. Although there is a Subway on campus, the cafeteria only serves fresh, home-cooked food.

Dorm Life

The freshman dorms are not very great at all. Everyone else's dorms are nice, but still pricey for their qualities.

Academic Rigor

BSC has small class sizes and amazing, caring professors.

Tips for prospective students

Apply early and fill out your FASFA early. 100% of our students have some sort of financial aid. Tour the campus; it's beautiful!

Courtney from Austin, Texas

07/17/2013

Reviewer is A current student here.

11 of 13

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Campus Safety

Campus police is the best! They are there in a matter of minutes whenever you call, they will unlock your car, change flat tires, and they hold car checks before long trips to change oil and make sure the car is in a good condition.

Greek Life

Greek life is a big part of the campus community. They hold many campus wide philanthropy events.

What to do for fun

On campus, there is a gym, hiking trails, and a lake. The school also supports many events that are free things to do in Birmingham like go to the movies or a baseball game.

Food and Dining

The caf provides many options that are quite delicious. There is also a campus store for snacks and a Subway.

Dorm Life

Although the dorms are older, they are well kept. The freshman dorms create sense of community creating bonds that will last in the future years at school.

Academic Rigor

The class load is very challenging, but will produce a sense of fulfillment at the completion of semesters. Teachers work to their best ability to help students providing office hours and after class questions.

Tips for prospective students

Be open to every option while touring schools, it's surprising how much better tours are when an open mind is kept. Be courteous to everyone in which you come in contact, because at a small school like BSC people will remember who you are. And finally be yourself.

In three sentences

BSC is a breathtakingly beautiful campus where the people are super friendly and welcoming. The small class sizes allow for a closer relationship to the professors who are ready to push their students to achieve greatness. The challenging class load help prepare students to emerge into the world as intelligent adults.

Jalon from Hoover, AL

11/16/2013

Reviewer is A current student here.

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Campus Safety

The campus police will do anything and everything for the students here. On top of that, we have an honor code that all abide by. You can, and I have, left my laptop and books in the library, got something to eat, and came back and nothing was out of place.

Greek Life

The Greek life here is very interesting. Since it is a smaller school, there are only 6 fraternities and 6 sororities, and they are all very welcoming. The parties are sub-par.

Clubs and Activities

There are many many fun clubs to join. One in particular is Quest II, and they do really fun events like two major concerts in the fall and spring.

Great for these types of students

Since this is a Liberal Arts College, there are many different types of people that attend, unlike a state school. I personally play football. It's all about finding your niche.

Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

We have these things called Cultural Credits that we have to do to graduate. We get pretty interesting speakers and have fun events that count for them.

Bang for the buck

This school is really expensive. But the small classes and top-notch professors make it so that when we graduate we have an unmatched degree.

What to do for fun

There isn't much to do for fun besides school-run events. There is The Row that can be fun on some nights, but dead on others. Other than that, you have to use the city to your advantage.

Food and Dining

The food on campus is top notch. The chefs in the caf really know how to cook it up good. Plus, if you don't want what's in the caf, we have a Subway on campus that closed at 1AM which comes in handy.

Dorm Life

I like in the freshman dorm, NewMens. It hasn't been updated since like the 60's and is not in great shape. On the other hand, the communal dorms allow all of the guys to share a great bond.

Academic Rigor

The school is very challenging. However, there are many MANY resoreces here to help us. On top of that, the professors want us to do well; as long as we put forth effort and go see them, they have our back.

Tips for prospective students

Have good time-management skills Be willing to branch out and meet new people Use the city of Birmingham to your advantage

In three sentences

Birmingham-Southern College is the most challenging academic endeavors that I have ever taken on. The faculty and staff truly care and want the students to succeeded. However, the social scene is dead.

Jillian from Dallas, GA

You can always find campus police patrolling campus and keeping everyone safe. They are very easy to approach and friendly. I never worry about my safety when I'm on campus.

Greek Life

There are 6 sororities and 6 fraternities. On a regular Friday night you can find much of the campus population at Fraternity Row. Don't feel left out if Greek is not your thing, only a little over half the campus is Greek.

Clubs and Activities

There is always something to do if you get involved! There are clubs for foreign language, religion, and almost anything you can think of.

Great for these types of students

This school is great for people who want an academic challenge and don't want to be a number among 10-25,000 other students.

Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus

During orientation there is a traditional square dance before classes start! It's not required that you know how, and it's a lot of fun.

Bang for the buck

BSC is pretty pricey but I feel like I'm getting a quality education and my diploma will be something I and others will value.

What to do for fun

BSC is not far away from the Magic City. There is plenty to do in downtown if you're a city person. For the outdoorsy people, there are state parks and reserves to take a day off at. There are also many events right on campus hosted by Quest II and SGA.

Food and Dining

The caf as we call it, is open at very convenient hours and always has a variety of options for food. It also features a cereal and waffle maker bar that is open at every meal. The staff is very friendly and accommodating.

Dorm Life

There are freshman dorms, upperclassmen dorms, and apartments located on campus. The freshman dorms foster a sense of home and friendly communications, but there is not much privacy. There are a few upperclassmen dorms to choose from with both 2 bed rooms, and single bed rooms. I love living in the dorms and being close to friends. I feel like I would be missing out if I lived off campus.

Academic Rigor

Both the classes and the professors make you work for every bit of your grade. They are here to help and they all encourage students to stop by during their office hours. Each professor has a love and passion for BSC and the students and you can really tell they want you to succeed.

Tips for prospective students

If you are looking for a party school where you can slack off and your professors won't notice, do not take BSC into consideration. It is very easy to be involved on campus, and the more you do the happier you'll be. The campus is one of the nicest when it comes to Division III colleges and students love how open and beautiful it is. During nice weather it is not uncommon to find people hammocking across campus.

In three sentences

If you want a mentally challenging school with one on one opportunities with professors and peer tutoring, then Birmingham- Southern is for you. The small, but open campus is gorgeous and not too spread out to walk to class. It is very easy to settle in and feel at home. The class sizes are small and comfortable.

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